From M. C. Stanley   22 December 1875

Knowsley, | Prescot.

22 Decr/75

Dear Mr Darwin

Though you tell me not to answer your most kind note I cannot help disobeying you: Your warm & genuine expressions of approval have given Ld Derby more pleasure than any other compliment he has received, & you must forgive me for saying so.—1

We made two short visits to Keston last month, but I was never able to find time to get as far as Down.2

We are more & more pleased with Keston each time we go there.

Will you remember me kindly to Mrs Darwin & believe me | Yrs very sincerely | M C Derby

Stanley was married to Edward Henry Stanley, the earl of Derby. CD’s letter has not been found, but it probably related to Lord Derby’s inaugural address as lord rector of the University of Edinburgh, which CD thought very good (see letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, [19 December 1875] and n. 15).
The Stanleys had rented a house, Keston Lodge, in Keston near Down; over the summer they had invited Thomas Carlyle to live there (see letter from M. C. Stanley, 14 September 1875 and n. 2).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-10318,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-10318